After the Durga Puja celebrations are over and idols have been immersed, the Okhla Yamuna bank turns into a playground for children collecting coins, coconuts and other playthings
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
Crackers like chakri and anar also contribute to deteriorating ambient air quality
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
The wood is collected by people and later used for burning and cooking
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
A child looks curiously at the waste accumulated on the Yamuna bank to find something interesting
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
It’s time to bid adieu to Lord Vishwakarma and welcome Goddess Durga. Idols of Durga being crafted at C R Park in Delhi ´╗â”
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
Levels of air pollutants like sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, suspended particulate matter and carbon monoxide rise substantially during Deepawali. Noise pollution levels also register a substantial increase during the festival
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
After the Durga Puja celebrations are over comes the time to burn effigies of Ravana, his brother and son
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
The chunnis that are offered to the Goddess during the Puja are also dumped in the river water along with the idols
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Kalkaji Mandir every year during Durga Puja celebrations. What they leave behind is plastic plates, bottles and empty cans´╗â”
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
The effigies are stuffed with crackers, which release a lot of poisonous gases when burnt and cause health problems
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
These chunnis along with other offerings clog the river
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
The strewn waste results in clogging of the drains and water accumulation. Vehicles parked along the roads makes commuting a harrowing experience
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
If Dusshera arrives, can Deepawali be far behind. Fireworks worth several crore rupees are exploded on an occasion that was earlier celebrated by greeting people and distributing sweets. A boy burns a pencil fuljhari which releases a green cloud of smoke and contributes to air pollution. It also causes respiratory problems.
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat
A few days after the idols have been immersed, what remains is the wooden structure
Photo By: Meeta Ahlawat